When MoM shut down in protest of the SOPA & PIPA bills recently, I followed the links provided by our Webmaster to write to my Congressional members. I received a reply from Senator Roy Blunt today. Here it is:

Dear Allen,

Thank you for contacting me regarding S. 698, the Protect IP Act.

I do not support the Protect IP Act as it is currently written. American innovation is a cornerstone of our nation's economic growth, and job creators have lost $135 billion in revenue annually as a result of rogue internet sites. While I believed the bill still needed much work, several months ago, I cosponsored the Senate version of the Protect IP Act because I support the original intent of this bill – to protect against the piracy of lawful content.

Upon passage of this bill through committee, Senate Judiciary Republicans strongly stated that there were substantive issues in this legislation that had to be addressed before it moved forward. I agree with that sentiment. Unfortunately, Senate Leader Harry Reid sought to push forward with legislation that is deeply flawed and still needs much work.

That's why I withdrew my co-sponsorship for the Protect IP Act.

The right to free speech is a foundation of our democracy, and I strongly oppose sanctioning Americans' right to free speech in any medium – including over the internet.

I continue to believe that we can come to a solution that will cut off the revenue sources for foreign websites dedicated to counterfeiting and piracy that steal American jobs, hurt the economy, and harm consumers. But the Protect IP Act is flawed as it stands today, and I cannot support it moving forward.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I look forward to continuing our conversation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SenatorBlunt) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/RoyBlunt) about the important issues facing Missouri and the country. I also encourage you to visit my website (blunt.senate.gov) to learn more about where I stand on the issues and sign-up for my e-newsletter.

Sincere regards,

Roy Blunt
United States Senator

__________________All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.